1. Field of the Invention
In the operation of internal combustion engines a certain amount of combustion gases escape past the piston rings into the crank case. In addition, the lubricating oil in the crank case of an internal combustion engine is degraded to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons that become vaporized, due to engine heat and turbulence during engine operation. In the past, these vapors from the crank case have been allowed to vent to the atmosphere through a breather pipe. This was not desirable as the vapors contain sulfur, carbon monoxide and other substances which adversely affect the atmosphere. In order to reduce air pollution, these fumes are typically drawn directly by vacuum from the PCV valve to the intake manifold or the air intake of the engine via a flexible conduit. However, these vapors include not only combustible substances such as oil, hydrocarbon break-down products, but also less combustible materials such as carbon, solid products of combustion, acids, high molecular weight resins and other undesirable materials. It is preferred that these undesirable, less combustible products not be introduced directly into the combustion chambers of the engine.
In addition, it is generally known that water injected into the intake manifold will act as a cleaning agent as it enters the internal combustion engine chamber. Water vapor coming into contact with incandescent carbon deposits in the combustion chambers combines with the hot carbon in the so-called "water gas" reaction. The products of the water gas reaction, chiefly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, are expelled from the combustion chambers into the exhaust manifold. The reaction cleans the combustion chamber.
2. Description of Prior Art
A number of patents disclose devices for various purposes in the vacuum line between the crank case and the intake manifold or the carburetor. These include U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,263 to F. W. Gerjets, U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,967 to P. K. Ballard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,314 to Clifford L. Lamkin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,284 to Hultgren, U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,177 to Ritchie, U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,604 to Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,198 to Jackson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,293 to Barker, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,451 to Lipscomb. None of these illustrate the present invention.
Additional devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,546 to J. H. Roper, U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,216 to T. G. Van Dolah, U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,052 to Wagner, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,365 to Issac S. Ussery illustrates the use of fluid scrubbing systems inserted in the same line.
A number of patents disclose the introduction of water by various means to the intake manifold such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,350,079 to T. A. Mulkern, U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,873 to D. L. Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,408 to A. E. Brenneman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,117 to J. M. Ritchie, U.S. Pat. No. 1,352,649 to G. H. Blake, U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,842 to Joe W. VonBrimer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,763 to Stephen C. Probat and U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,281 to Arthur P. Ruth. None of these devices disclose the present invention or offer the combination of improvements in performance of the internal combustion engine attained by the present invention, nor due they satisfy the following objects.